First Lady Casey DeSantis awards money to police nonprofits through Hope Florida Fund

SANFORD, Fla. – First Lady Casey DeSantis awarded $40,000 to nonprofits through the Hope Florida Fund on Tuesday.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Community Foundation and the Central Florida Concerns of Police Survivors nonprofit will receive $20,000 each, according to a press release.

Additionally, the first lady said she was “humbled” to meet with the families of fallen officers during her visit.

“Thank you for your sacrifice. Our prayers remain with you and the families of all our fallen heroes in blue,” the first lady said.

The Hope Florida Fund was created by the first lady in 2022 and is not funded by taxpayers.

The fund aims to “harness the charity of the private sector to give funds to deserving local nonprofit entities through her Hope Florida initiative.”

During her visit, she also joined officers from the Sanford Police Department for a law enforcement “de-escalation training.”

“It was great to better understand this process through the training facility at Decision Tactical. I am proud to award Hope Florida funds to nonprofits that support the loved ones of fallen officers and provide opportunities for mentorship between law enforcement and youth,” DeSantis said.

Decision Tactical is a training center that “provides civilians with an opportunity to experience the quick and difficult decision-making that law enforcement encounter every day in the line of duty through a state-of-the-art simulation facility.”

According to the press release, Florida is currently at a “50-year crime low” with overall crime down over 15% year-over-year since 2019.

For more information on Hope Florida, click here.